It is known that when animal skins or organic materials are used for the vibratile element in a musical drum, the skin tensioning means for the drum head must be adjusted for moisture and temperature variations and that there are limits to which the skin can be stretched without destroying the fabric of the vibratile element. As a result new and better materials have been devised that are superior to natural fibers. The most recent have been the use of glass fibres in a resin matte and most notably the use of a woven cloth of KEVLAR (trade mark). These new materials can be subjected to much greater tensions than former skin materials and therefore superior vibration sounds can be produced but when greater tension assemblies are made the drum shells can fail or the natural weaknesses therein can appear to distort the drum and resulting musical effect. It is also known that the drum-head tensioning devices are connected and held in place by bushings and the like attached to the drum shell. To accept the increased tension the drum shell must be increased in strength and therefore in weight. Where wood is used as a shell the increase in size and weight becomes a problem that results in the use of metal for the drum shell. Drums now used for marching bands have reached a weight that has become objectionable to marching drummers and there is now a need for a light weight drum that has a synthetic drum-skin that can withstand high tension and a drum shell free from the reaction forces of the tension assembly.